


A Wedding in Arcadia #13 -- An Unexpected Guest

by merry_amelie



Series: Academic Arcadia [62]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: Alternate Reality, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-28
Updated: 2005-12-28
Packaged: 2018-02-05 13:07:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1819516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merry_amelie/pseuds/merry_amelie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lady in brown...</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Wedding in Arcadia #13 -- An Unexpected Guest

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback: Is treasured at merryamelie@aol.com (or leave a comment).
> 
> Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
> 
> To Alex, Ula, and Nerowill, my friends and betas extraordinaire.  
> Many thanks to terri for suggesting a Masterson surprise guest.  
> Kudos to Inya for the wedding hat.

Wendy Masterson made the train trip back to Connecticut lost in thought. She'd just attended her cousin Quinn's wedding, albeit surreptitiously, and was pondering how easily he'd hidden his relationship with Ian from the family.

Wendy had found the wedding invitation in Quinn's desk drawer when staying with him for a weekend last month. She'd been looking for a stamp, and instead found out his secret. She had read the invitation in an instant, heart quietly breaking. Wendy realized that she must be the only person in the family who'd seen one, and also knew that it was important that she attend. There had to be someone there for Quinn, even if he was unaware of it himself.

She'd been to quite a few weddings with Quinn through the years, yet he obviously felt that he could not invite any of the family with whom he'd shared himself so generously. Granted, if she knew her Aunt Ginny and Uncle John, they wouldn't want to deal with this kind of situation at all. They'd probably think it scandalous and turn Quinn into a pariah, expecting the rest of the clan to support them, all but a foregone conclusion in many cases. Obviously, Quinn himself agreed with her assessment.

She had wondered about his relationship with Ian for quite a while; her visits with her cousin had convinced her that Quinn and Ian's connection ran deeper than friendship. She'd seen the looks they gave each other in her own fiance's eyes. Love was hard to disguise from someone who felt it firsthand and had the blinders off.

Their adjacent condos were oh-so-convenient, as were their jobs and vacations together. They were clearly deeply involved in one another's lives. It was true that they never touched in front of her, not even a casual hand on a shoulder. Somehow this very lack made her all the more certain that there was something between them. She had seen Quinn with friends before, and he'd given his share of backslaps and pats, all quite natural. She was intrigued by his very control.

Wendy had arrived at Windover about an hour before the ceremony was scheduled to begin, and found a little sandwich shop to relax in. Her hoagie had kept her attention for the next little while.

She hadn't wanted to make her presence known at the wedding, realizing that it was not the proper place to surprise them with her knowledge. If Quinn had seen her, he might have assumed the worst -- that the whole family knew and disapproved, that she was there to punish him on their behalf. She couldn't bear to do that to him.

Wendy had been continually on edge since ducking into the chapel. Luckily, no one knew her except Ian and Quinn, but if they had looked her way, she would have ruined their wedding. She'd worn a hat with a slanting brim to cover as much of her face as possible against that very eventuality. Her brown dress complemented her chestnut hair well, and wouldn't stand out in a crowd. She had come in after the ceremony had started, and would leave before its conclusion.

Wendy had looked around discreetly, delighted to see dozens of smiles around her. She'd quickly figured out that the celebrants at the altar were Ian's family. Quite a handsome group; she could see where Ian had gotten his striking looks. He was a lucky man to have such understanding and acceptance from his relatives. She wished it had been the same for Quinn.

When she'd witnessed Ian and Quinn taking their vows, Wendy had almost cried. She had never seen that look of joy on his face, even at his Bailor graduation. She'd made her own private vow -- to protect their secret and provide any unobtrusive help she could for them.

Wendy really should have left after the 'I dos', but she couldn't resist staying for their kiss, and was drawn into their private world, if only for a moment. She could only wish her fiance would kiss her like that.

She'd come out into the bright afternoon still seeing their glowing faces outshining the sun, and knew she'd been privileged to be there. Her family, with their narrow views and narrower code, had missed something sacred.

She would have liked to talk to Quinn about it, to congratulate him, but realized that would only put him in an awkward position. He assumed no one on his side of the family was aware of his love for Ian, and it would make him uncomfortable to learn otherwise. Wendy well knew that a secret was a tenuous thing, and would treat Quinn's with the respect it deserved.

The biggest challenge would be seeing Quinn at the next family party without her indiscretion in her eyes. She'd have to do it, though; after all Quinn had endured to marry Ian, she owed him no less.

She owed him something else as well; his wedding had naturally led to thoughts of her own. Maybe she would set that date with Richard soon. Quinn's courage had inspired her.


End file.
